Nevermore
by MyKnightLife
Summary: Death is a cruel thing; always taking when it's least expected. So when tragedy suddenly strikes Pupu Village, everyone is left in stunned disbelief. But no one is suffering more than poor little Kirby. Things will never be the same again, and unfortunately for him, this is just the beginning. Meta Knight is determined to help him cope, but will it be enough? One can only hope...
1. Chapter 1

**Hey guys! It's been a while. I've been very busy finishing up chool, but despite my absence I have been working very hard on some of my stories, and this is one of them. This will be one of my longest works yet, and is very involved plot wise, so I hope you guys enjoy it and stick around for the ride! I'm super excited (and slightly nervous) to see what you guys think of it so far! Enjoy the read!**

* * *

The day was dark, and grey. The sun didn't shine, birds didn't chirp, flowers didn't bloom, and the sea didn't sparkle. There was no joy, no happiness, and it seemed there never would be again. A slight drizzling of rain only added to the dreariness as they all gathered together, in silent remembrance of someone who had been taken from the world far too soon, just mere hours ago.

Meta Knight stared off into space in disbelief, his chest heavy with sorrow. This… this was so… sudden. Why did it have to be this way? It wasn't fair! No one should be taken from the world at such a young age, especially when they had a great future ahead of them! They were supposed to live a long and happy life, peruse their dreams, maybe have a family, and die a peaceful death. They weren't supposed to die… not this young… not like this…

Meta Knight heaved a sigh, blinking multiple times, and struggling to stay composed as the memories from hours before flooded his mind. He swallowed hard, finding his throat closing up on him, and tears threatening.

It had been an accident. At least, that's what King Dedede had said. He seemed frantic and horrified upon learning about the death that _he_ had caused, even going as far as admitting that the demon beast he ordered had been a bit much, even for him. It wasn't supposed to go after them! It was only supposed to go after Kirby… Like that was any better. He begged and pleaded for their forgiveness on the matter, claiming his innocence, and apologizing on his hands and knees over and over again. But no matter what he did, his forgiveness wasn't granted. It wouldn't change what he did… They were gone, and nothing would bring them back…

With a sigh he pushed the thought away as he watched the casket slowly be lowered into the ground. He grimaced as the child whom he was holding by the paw began to whimper and hiccup, tugging against his firm, but gentle grip.

"K-Kirby, no. You have to stay put. I… I'm sorry," Meta Knight apologized, trying to hide the shakiness in his voice.

But Kirby wasn't listening to him. He watched in horror as the casket was finally set into the earth, never again to see the light of day, and taking his best friend down with it.

"No poyo! F-Fumu!" Kirby shrieked in panic, huge tears rolling down his cheeks as he hiccupped. He lunged for the casket, but was held back by Meta Knight. Kirby hiccupped heavily as he sobbed. He pulled harder, trying to releases his mentor's grip, but to no avail. In a last ditch effort he punched, kicked, and even bit his mentor, but his blows did little to free himself. He collapsed onto the ground, not having the strength to fight his remorse. His wails where loud and heartbreaking as reality sunk in, piercing the heart of anyone whole heard with sorrow. He gulped in large amounts of air and arched his back as he cried with such force he could just about throw up.

Meta Knight gave a deep, shaky sigh of pity. Normally such behavior from Kirby would be utterly unacceptable, and he would give the child a good paddle for acting in such a way. However to reprimand Kirby now would be nothing but cruel on his part.

Gently he picked up the sobbing tot, and moved toward the back of the crowd. Kirby's sobs were starting to get rather disruptive, and Meta Knight wished to not make any more of a scene out of respect for the Ebrum family; they were already under enough stress.

He walked away from the crowd, going up a small hill just a little ways away, and stood beside a lonely tree at the top. Gently he set the tot down, kneeling to his level. His eyes where full of concern as he gazed at the sobbing child.

Kirby was crying excessively. His eyes were welled up with tears that glossed them over, and each time he blinked the tears would roll down and wet his cheeks before sliding all the way down to his tummy. His face was beat red from crying so hard, and was currently held in a twisted and ugly grimace. He hiccupped and hitched in his breathing, struggling to catch even the shallowest of breaths. He didn't bother looking at his mentor either. Instead his eyes were trained to the ground.

With a sigh Meta Knight gently wiped some of the tot's tears away with his thumbs. He needed to quiet Kirby down… gently. In a low whisper he said, "Kirby, little one, I need you to calm down for me alright? It's okay to cry, but –"

Kirby suddenly hiccupped heavily, cutting him off. He gave a large gulp of air, and collapsed in a heap on the ground.

"K-Kirby…" Meta Knight sighed, picking the tot back up to his feet. "I know it's hard little one… believe me when I say that. But please listen to –"

"Nooo!" Kirby shrieked at the top of his lungs, not even letting his mentor finish, while gaining the attention of some of the cappies down below. He didn't want to hear it. He just wanted her back… "M-m-miss h-er, poy-o," he hiccupped, wiping some tears away.

"I know, I'm sorry… Calm down… I miss her too…" Meta Knight said solemnly. His efforts of calming the child clearly weren't working. He was struggling to find the words to help comfort the tot; a very uncommon feeling for him indeed. He didn't really know what to say. What could he say!? It's not like he could tell Kirby that it was okay and everything would be fine, because it wasn't. He had just lost his best friend and motherly figure to a sudden and deadly demon beast attack. The little one had _never_ experienced death and loss before; never even really understood the concept. However, it was quite clear now that Kirby knew all too well what had happened to Fumu; and it was hitting him extremely hard.

He gave a sigh. As he looked at the sobbing tot before him, it was clear that his usual hands off method wasn't going to cut it anymore. Kirby needed more than just simple words of comfort; he needed someone to be his emotional support to help him in this trialing time, and ultimately, Meta Knight knew he'd have to be that person.

Gently he slipped his hands under the child's paws, and picked him back up to hold him close. Draping a portion of his cape over Kirby, he started to rub the sobbing tot's back to help him calm down.

The poor child was shaking convulsively in his arms. He had his face buried into his mask, muffling his sobs, as he curled into the smallest ball possible in an attempt to hide away from the world.

Meta Knight couldn't help but pity him for everything that had happened. He mentally scolded himself for not explaining the concept of death to Kirby sooner. In the past he had occasionally tried to make a comment about it to help the child understand, but for the most part he held off, believing the topic to be too heavy for Kirby's age. But now it was brutally obvious he had waited too long. If he had explained death to the little one more in depth, maybe the grieving process wouldn't be so rough. Either way, it was too little, too late…

It made his heart ache to see the little one like this – so broken… so fragile. He felt helpless, and that angered him. Why, if it wasn't for King Dedede, none of this would even be happening!

Meta Knight just about scoffed at the thought of the King. He always viewed his Majesty to be rather pompous and idiotic, but usually he didn't let that get in the way of honorably serving the King whom he had sworn allegiance too; even if he was quite unworthy of his protection. He'd even viewed King Dedede to be quite harmless despite his rather irritating hobby of ordering demon beast left and right. Meta Knight just used those monsters to his advantage when it came to Kirby's training. However, things were different now. The King was nothing but loathsome to him after all that had happened today, and the mere thought of him made Meta Knight bubble with anger. Like it or not he was responsible for the _death_ of an innocent child. King Dedede had brought nothing but disgrace upon his name, and caused so much unnecessary heartache and anguish to the village, the Ebrum family, Kirby, himself, as well as anyone else who had come to know Fumu. It was a crushing realization for Meta Knight to know that the girl would never walk around the village again; she had become a good friend, and he felt like he failed her. He could only hope that King Dedede's abhorrent actions sunk in, and he would have to live with the weight of knowing he killed someone, accidentally or purposefully, for the rest of his days. Nothing would make Meta Knight happier than to see the King suffer for his actions.

After Fumu's death he even considered slicing the King in half himself; he could still feel that burning desire within him. To corner his Majesty with Galaxia as his eyes burned fiery red with rage, threatening to spill blood, while King Dedede begged for mercy for his own life. But in his heart, Meta Knight knew such actions would get him nowhere. It would only cause more pain and suffering. That wasn't worth losing the trust of everyone he cared about, and being plagued with returning mental scars for his bloodthirsty actions. But regardless, in the end, Meta Knight knew he'd never find it within himself to forgive King Dedede for what he did…

Slowly shaking his head he pushed those thoughts away and looked back down to the crowd just a little ways away. They had dispersed some since he came up the hill, indicating that the memorial service was over and that everyone was left to either go home, or stay with the Ebrum family and express their sorrows and deepest sympathies. He saw Memu crying heavily, fanning herself as mascara dripped down her face; her husband Param was standing right beside her trying his best to calm her, though he wasn't much better off.

He then scanned the crowd for Bun, Fumu's younger brother. It took a moment to find him, but Meta Knight eventually spotted him under a tree a little ways off. He had curled himself into a ball, crying heavily as his friends crowded around him in attempts to make him feel better, but he only pushed them away.

Meta Knight's gaze fell. He greatly pitied the Ebrum family for their loss; the parents… their daughter, and Bun… his older sister. He couldn't even begin to imagine what it was like to lose a child. None of them should have to deal with such tragedies; not like this…

And Kirby… Oh Kirby. Meta Knight looked down at the still weeping child in his arms solemnly.

The little one was taking this extremely hard. It would have been bad enough if Fumu had died and Kirby had been unaware, while Meta Knight would have had to break the news to the little one, but Kirby had actually _witnessed_ her death with his own eyes. And this fact made the whole situation ten times worse.

Kirby had been nothing but hysterical since she died; crying and screaming at the top of his lungs, as his heart broke at the sudden, and unexpected loss of his best friend. And his reaction to seeing King Dedede after Fumu's death wasn't any better, if not worse. The encounter had been brief as the King tried to make amends, but it was clear that Kirby was nothing but traumatized of him now. At the first sight of Dedede, Kirby immediately came running over to Meta Knight's side and started bawling as he attempted to shelter himself behind his mentor, hiding in his cape and making himself smaller. It took a lot of effort on Meta Knight's part to sooth the child, and since then he had become like glue to his mentor's side, hardly desiring to be left alone, and shadowing him like a ghost.

Meta Knight didn't blame him though. Kirby was feeling a whole bombardment of emotions; everything from fear, depression, confusion, and many more. The child was only doing what was natural for his age in such a situation, and that was seeking comfort from a trusted adult. Kirby needed to feel safe, or else Meta Knight new the child would suffer emotionally. Thus he allowed Kirby's clingy behavior. It would be downright wrong of him to deny that to the tot at this moment in time. Meta Knight hoped that having some sort of security would help Kirby's recovery process, and if he had to be the one to provide that then so be it…

Meta Knight heaved a sigh; one of many that day. He was fatigued, mentally and physically as the day's events wore on his emotions like a raging torrent. It was all too much. He wanted nothing more than to just go back to the Castle and lay in his bed forever, sleeping his sorrows and anger away like none of it ever happened. But he knew he couldn't. He had other priorities; the pink puff in his arms was clear evidence of that. He needed to stay strong for Kirby and be his support throughout it all, as he knew the grieving process would be long and harsh for the little one. Ignoring the tot for even a moment in his time of need could end catastrophically. The last thing Meta Knight wanted was for Kirby to suffer mental issues from all this, and develop emotional problems. Absolutely not! He promised himself there and then that he would make Kirby's wellbeing his entire focus until things started to settle. The child needed an adult to come to for whatever reason it may be, and with Fumu now gone, Kirby didn't really have any one else to turn toward. Staying with Kirby through this trial was for the best.

He gave a small nod to himself at the decision. As he thought, eventually the sound of light footfall heading his way caught his attention. Looking up he saw his two squires Sword, and Blade making their way up the hill to meet them. Their pace was slow and tired. A clear indication that they were feeling the effects of the day's events as well.

They made their way up the hill, each one taking a place beside their Lord. They didn't speak immediately, instead they just stood there in silence, taking it all in.

"We surveyed the whole area, Sir," Blade mumbled, breaking the silence after a few minutes. "King Dedede is nowhere to be found."

Meta Knight gave a pleased hum. "Good… the King has no place here after what has occurred today…" After Fumu had died earlier that day, Memu had come weeping and pleading to them to keep his Majesty away from her daughter's funeral. She wanted to mourn in peace in security, and who was he to deny the wishes of a mourning mother? He assured her that they would get the job done, and it appeared King Dedede got the hint; they hadn't seen any sign of him since Fumu's death. Meta Knight wasn't sure if it was because he was ashamed, or simply didn't have the heart to care, but it didn't matter. King Dedede's absence made it easier for everyone...

"Have you two talked to the Ebrum family yet?" Meta Knight asked. "I already have, but I'm sure they'd appreciate your support at this time as well."

"No, not yet," Blade replied. "We plan on it after we're done reporting back to you though."

Meta Knight hummed. "Good. They definitely need the encouragement…"

"Yeah… this must be so hard for them. I couldn't even begin to imagine it…" Sword finally spoke. After a long pause he turned to Meta Knight and asked, "How's Kirby doing, Sir? We could hear him crying when we were patrolling the area. I, uh… I assume this is rather rough on him." Out of the two, Sword was definitely more sensitive to other people's emotions; not that Blade wasn't, but Sword was just naturally more observant and in tune with what other people were feeling, and thus tended to express any worries that he had for them more readily.

Meta Knight nodded at his statement. "He's taking it pretty hard. It's definitely going to be a rough time for him… I think it'll be a while before things start going back to normal."

"That's understandable, the poor little guy…" Sword replied.

Meta Knight just nodded, glancing back down at the pink puff in his arms.

Surprisingly the child had quieted down quite a bit in these last few minutes. Kirby was leaning heavily against Meta Knight, eyelids droopy, cheek squished against his mentor's mask and mouth slightly agape. His energy was clearly sapped, but that didn't stop him from making a small whimper here and there. Tears occasionally rolled down his face, though, at a much slower rate than before. He didn't seem to be paying their conversation much attention either. He was too wrapped up in his own thoughts and feelings to care.

As Meta Knight stared down at the exhausted tot, he realized that now would probably be a good time to head back to the tot's home. Kirby desperatly needed his rest after such stressful events. He just hoped the child would sleep okay tonight, because he didn't feel much better off.

With this in mind, Meta Knight cleared his throat earning the attention of his two Squires. "Sword… Blade," he began. "I've decided it best if I stay with Kirby for a few days. I think for his health both physically, and mentally, that'd it'd be in his best interest… Are you two okay with that?"

Sword and Blade nodded in unison, but it was Blade who spoke. "It's okay, we figured as much. We understand."

"Good…" Meta Knight said, walking forward a few steps and then turning back around to his two squires.

"Are you going to take him back to the castle with us, or…?" Sword asked, trailing off.

"Oh no. No," Meta Knight promptly responded, shaking his head. "Kirby's reaction to King Dedede has been extremely negative with everything that has happened, and for good reason. I don't think it'd be a good idea for him to be anywhere near his Majesty at this point in time. I'll take him to his own home instead. I think it's for the best for him to be in a quiet and familiar environment where he can recover."

"Makes sense. So we'll see you in a few days then," Blade stated, crossing his arms.

"Yes… If you need anything you know where to find me. I think it'd be a good idea to check up on the Ebrum family too, and I'd appreciate it if you two would do so at least a couple times before I'm back. Making sure they're doing okay… If they need anything, and such. I'll check on them myself in a few days or so. I know they'll need all the support they can get."

"Yes Sir," they replied in unison.

Meta Knight nodded. "And don't worry about training or patrolling for a few days either. I know all this has been rather rough, and will continue to be for a while, so I'm letting you guys off the hook. Just relax and allow yourselves time to decompress. If King Dedede starts haggling you about it tell me. I'll deal with him myself – I don't want you guys overworking yourselves, especially now."

"Oh Sir, you don't have to –", Sword began, but he was cut off as Meta Knight raised a hand.

"That's an order," Meta Knight said, tone stern. He let his hand down when they both nodded. "Alright, take care you two. I'll see you soon…"

"You too Sir. We'll be sure to check on the Ebrum family while you're gone," Blade replied.

"You can count on us Sir!" Sword said.

Meta Knight gave them a small nod. Then he turned and walked away, leaving them on the hillside as he started making the trek to Kirby's home.

* * *

Meta Knight slowly trudged his way to Kirby's little home, already halfway there. The little one was still in his arms, now fast asleep, and Meta Knight held him close being sure to keep him bundled in his warm cape, as the wind was starting to pick up. Judging by the dark looming clouds above them a storm was rolling in, and fast.

He picked up his pace, not wishing to be caught in it. Within minutes he reached Kirby's dome house on the hillside. He walked up to the door, turned the knob to open it, and walked inside as he gently closed the door behind him, making sure not to wake Kirby.

With a small sigh, he shook his head as he made his way to the tot's bedside. He pulled the covers back and was about to set Kirby down when the child stirred in his arms.

Meta Knight tensed. He held his breath and got very still as he waited for Kirby to settle, hoping upon hope that the tot wouldn't wake. It took a minute, and Kirby even opened his eyes some. However, his eyelids where still heavy, and within a few moments he closed them again and nuzzled against his mentor and returned to sleep.

However, Meta Knight wasn't taking any chances. He stayed still for a few moments more, just watching Kirby's breathing. Once he was sure Kirby was back asleep, that's when he slowly moved the child to his bed. He gently set the covers atop him, smoothing them out.

He pulled his hand away, holding it up against himself as he made sure that the tot didn't need anything else.

His eyes glowed in concern as he gazed at the child. Even though he was sleeping Kirby still appeared quite upset and exhausted, for obvious reasons. His face was set in a heavy frown, mouth slightly agape. The amount he cried also left his face flushed, and tear stain marks were streaked down his cheeks. He'd surely be dehydrated by morning; the child's face already seemed rather puffy and swollen.

Meta Knight downcast his gaze. He kept it trained toward the ground as he wrapped his cape tightly around himself.

He didn't have the slightest clue as to how they would get through this trial period. It would be long and rough, that was for sure. Kirby would need his full support, no matter what it was, good or bad, as he was sure the child's need for attention would skyrocket. He didn't want to think about what would happen if Kirby's needs were ignored; the tot was already known for running away in similar situations, and he didn't even want to think of all the mental aspects that could go wrong if the child's care wasn't kept up. He needed to be sure that if there was anything he could do to make this transition period easier on Kirby, that it could be carried out.

His gaze slowly shifted from the ground, to out the window. It was a full moon tonight; very bright and beautiful as it lit up the night sky. It was almost like it was watching over them, after all that had happened; a source of comfort after Fumu's death.

Meta Knight felt his heart go heavy. With everything that had been happening, he'd hardly had any time to thinking about how _he_ felt of this situation; he'd been too busy tending to the Ebrum family, and making sure Kirby was being properly watched and comforted.

But in reality Fumu's death had affected him deeper than most people realized. She had become a good friend to him, and he enjoyed their conversations together and the company she brought whenever he had a rare occasion where he felt like he wanted to talk to someone. She may have been young, but Fumu was very sharp. Admittedly, she was one of the only people in all of Pupu Village besides his young squires that Meta Knight felt he could have a decent and intelligent conversation with. Not only that, but Meta Knight had known her from a very young age, watching her grow and mature from afar. He admired her determination when it came to setting goals and problem solving, and her outspoken and bold nature had always served as an anchor for the town's people when King Dedede overstepped with something. But despite her headstrong attitude, it was easy to see that she had a good heart with good intensions. She was always helping around town or at home, be it in small or large ways. Her amount of maturity and responsibility for the people and world around her always surprised him, and it only further proved that she had a good head on her shoulders and was going to grow up to be a fine, young lady.

But now that wasn't so. She was dead, and a part of Meta Knight couldn't help but feel like he failed her. He was supposed to be the town's protector! Some way, somehow, he should have been able to save her… even if it put his own life in danger. To not have been able to do so made him feel guilty. He'd let everyone down. Fumu, her family, the town, and Kirby… It was like a void in their lives now. It'd be a very big adjustment for him to not see her around town or in the castle, be it when she was smiling and happy, or griping and stressing about the next thing Dedede had done. Meta Knight knew that things would feel odd without her around; they already did. It was this weird, empty feeling… one he'd felt before whenever he lost friends. Despite all the death he'd experienced, it never got any easier. But unfortunately, he knew he couldn't mourn long. He had other important priorities…

He was taken out of this thoughts when the said tot gave a small moan in his sleep. Gently he placed his hand on the tot's head, lightly stroking it.

With a sigh he murmured, "Oh Fumu… if only you could see how much he misses you… How much… we all miss you…"

* * *

 **Let me quickly just say that Meta Knight's thoughts on Fumu's death aren't meant to be shippy. I'm not really into that pairing, so his thoughts are just normal things someone would feel after loosing a close friend. I just want to put that out there... Anyway, let me know what you guys think!**


	2. Chapter 2

_Meanwhile, back at Castle Dedede…_

King Dedede paced feverously in his room. His gaze was glued to the floor, and he held his hands behind his back as he walked back and forth, heart racing and sweat drops beading down his face.

Outside the weather was absolutely horrid, and through his bedroom window one could see it raining buckets, while thunder cracked, and lighting flashed across the sky. However, King Dedede hardly paid it any attention. His mind was elsewhere. Fumu's death and everything that had happened since then had left his mind spinning like a broken record.

Had he really killed her? Fumu… the girl that had been born and raised in this very castle for the past 12 years? Was it all his fault? Was everything that had happened because of him? Sure he hadn't directly harmed her, nor would he have ever thought about doing such a thing, but the fact that his new demon beast attacked and killed her basically made him, by extension, responsible for her death.

He paused in his pacing, gulping down the large lump that had formed in his throat. The thought of being responsible for this absolutely terrified him. He hadn't meant or desired to hurt anyone; he just liked having a bit of fun with his Demon Beasts is all. It had been an accident... R-right?

However… it seemed everyone else thought otherwise. He noticed how everyone treated him differently once Fumu was confirmed dead. Those angry, hate filled glares that he'd received from some, and those broken and remorseful looks he'd gotten from others… It was as if the towns people actually looked down upon him for all this!

Dedede heaved a sigh. He resumed his pacing, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand. This was all a mess… just a big, giant mess! He wanted to point blame; declare all this trouble and pain onto someone else, and have them punished for it! But each time he tried to think of someone, eventually it only came right back to him. There was no one else to point fingers at…

"This is all my fault," Dedede murmured.

He paused in his pacing, tears glossing his eyes over. As much as he hated to admit it, everything that had happened was because of his foolish choice to order that Demon Beast. He knew that monster was going to be a handful, but it just looked like so much fun! He just wanted to scare the towns people a little. Laugh as they scattered and screamed; just shake them up, and have a little fun! But most of all he wanted to get back at Kirby. That pink puffball was always taking all the credit, and admittedly he felt rather jealous about it. He had been ruler of Dreamland for years! Why was Kirby, a mere toddler and newcomer, the one to receive all the attention!? It wasn't fair! He just wanted to get rid of Kirby, or at the very least bring the attention back to himself. He never asked for anyone to get hurt, much less killed, because of his actions!

King Dedede suddenly hitched in his breathing, failing to keep a few tears from falling. He paced even more restlessly than before, hands planted on top of his head, and gritting his teeth from the amount of crippling anxiety he was feeling.

As he paced, he couldn't help but think of all the people he had hurt emotionally because of his stupid mistake.

The Ebrum family was in absolute despair, and he didn't know if they'd ever find it within their hearts to forgive him. He'd be internally grateful if they did, but so far, the chances seemed slim…

As soon as he heard about what happened to Fumu, he had went running off to try and make amends. He remembered stumbling upon the scene of the crime in his Castle courtyard; whole walls had been broken away by that monster, with large chunks of castle rubble and dirt thrown about in every direction, and even a few smoldering fires were seen being put out with fire hoses by his Waddle Dees.

Amongst the carnage, he had spotted the broken family quite quickly, and immediately went running up to them.

However, they just about panicked once they saw him, eyes going wide with fear, and practically scrambling to get away just at the sight of him. Admittedly he had faltered at their reaction; he didn't want them to be afraid of him. He just wanted to apologize… to fix thing and make them right. Despite their initial response, it didn't stop him from at least trying to make amends.

He had started begging, pleading, and apologizing, trying to get them to forgive him. But he discovered quickly that advancing toward them like that had been a very bad idea, as Sir Meta Knight had immediately came between him and the stressed family.

He shuddered at the memory. The knight's blazing red eyes had held an unwavering and intense gaze, and he held his sword unsheathed, pointing the business end of it at him while he took a battle stance. King Dedede occasionally questioned the knight's loyalty given how he tended to help Kirby in battles at times, and now it was very clear that Sir Meta Knight wasn't afraid to go against his own King, the very one he had sworn allegiance toward, to protect the ones he cared about. The intensity in the knight's gaze left him rather shook up; Sir Meta Knight just barely seemed to have had a handle on his emotions, and coupled with the way he was holding his sword at him it was clear he had meant business. The knight could have easily sliced him in half if he desired!

And Kirby… he remembered seeing the toddler hiding behind Sir Meta Knight, doing anything in his power to avoid him. The poor kid was so shaken, that instantly he had started crying, trying to shield himself behind the knight and avoid any sort of eye contact. He didn't seem to want anything to do with him anymore, only looking at him with absolute fear and horror from what happened.

King Dedede stopped in his pacing. He rubbed the back of his neck as guilt started to overtake him.

Despite his frequent jealousy toward Kirby, he didn't want the kid to fear him… not like this. Having a mere toddler be scared of him for something he'd never intended to happen was one of the worst fates imaginable! Kirby was always a very bright, and bubbly kid, never seeing anyone as a threat. Rather, everyone was a friend in Kirby's eyes. But to see the child do a complete one-eighty on his response toward him... It actually really bothered him to see Kirby so scared and upset like that.

Dedede heaved a sigh. He rubbed his forehead as he felt a headache coming on. This was all so awful… If only there was a way he could fix things, and let everyone know that he truly did care.

Originally he had firm plans to attend Fumu's funeral. Despite the awkwardness it would pose to him and everyone else in the Village, at least his presence would have made a statement.

However, news travels fast in his Kingdom and when Waddle Doo gave him word that Sir Meta Knight and his two Squires, Sword and Blade, where heavily patrolling the funeral site, his hopes were instantly shattered. Their message was clear; he wasn't welcome there…

Instead, he was left to pace alone in his room as his thoughts consumed him.

Why, he never meant to get her killed! If he had known that this would have happened he would have never ordered that monster in the first place! The fact that he was responsible for all this caused guilt to wash over him like open floodgates. It was practically eating him alive at this point! He would have gone to her funeral out of respect… to give her the only apology he could.

But now that he couldn't do that, it left his mind spinning for another solution. There had to be something he could do to mend things! He didn't care what it was. If it could change things for the better he would do it in a heartbeat!

Dedede started pacing again, becoming frustrated at the situation before him. But what could he do to make amends for such a tragedy!? Even if he couldn't bring her back, there had to be something he could do to show he was sorry!

He felt his frustration boil over to the point of great anger as he continued to draw a blank. He paced a few steps more, before he suddenly grabbed his hammer and aggressively smashed a near by coffee table, splintering it to pieces.

He stared at the now broken table for a moment, breathing heavy, before roughly tossing his hammer away.

"UGH! If I hadn't ever came into contact with Nightmare Enterprises, none of this would even be happening in the first place!" he yelled in a fit of rage.

He stood there for a few moments, struggling to keep his emotions from swinging from one extreme to the next, when suddenly, what he just said caused an idea to come to him.

"W-Wait…. I-If I hadn't started ordering Demon Beasts from Nightmare Enterprises… then none of this would have even happened..." He repeated again in a low, and shaky whisper, as if he hadn't heard himself right the first time. His breathing became broken and flightily, while his heart raced as he started to connect the dots. "T-then I would have never ordered any monsters… a-and… Fumu would still be alive, and… a-and…"

He started frantically looking about, searching for his Demon Beast Catalog, before spotting it under all the broken wood chips of his old coffee table. He quickly snatched it up and stared at the cover for a long while. Nightmares silhouette was staring right back at him… as if to taunt him into ordering something else.

King Dedede heaved a sigh, sadly down-casting his gaze.

 _This is all my fault_ …

Those words rang in his head like a siren, and he knew now what he had to do. If he ever had any chance of being forgiven, and have any way to show that he was truly sorry… then he realized that the only possible way to do it was to end his hobby of ordering Demon Beasts, and end ties with Nightmare Enterprises entirely…

It deeply hurt him to even think of such a thing, as ordering Demon Beasts had always given him such a thrill! It gave him something to enjoy, and even look forward to in his reign! But… he knew in his heart that it was the right thing to do. Even if the Ebrum family didn't forgive him, he didn't even know if he'd have it in his heart to order anything more. Just the thought of ordering another monster caused his stomach to twist in an anxiety induced knot. It only brought back reminders of what happened to Fumu, and he was sure he'd become paranoid of something similar happening again. He never desired for anyone to get hurt because of his actions… Why would he then continue his hobby if there was a chance of risking someone else's life…?

King Dedede gave a heavy sigh. He blinked back tears, before ripping the book apart and tossing it the trashcan.

He then gave a few deep breaths to steady his emotions, and to help prepare him for what he needed to do next. No… ripping his catalog book apart wasn't good enough. He needed to go straight to the source and end it there.

He took one last moment of preparation before, he turned and sprinted out of his room as fast as he could. He twisted and turned down the castle halls, and within minutes he had reached the throne room. He didn't take the time to slow down or catch his breath, before slamming into his chair and hurriedly punching in the buttons to Nightmare Enterprises.

Within seconds the line was picked up, and as usual the familiar face of the Sales Guy was there to greet him.

"Hey, hey, hey Tripple D! What can I-"

"SHUT UP!" King Dedede roared, cutting off the Salesman's greeting. "I'm not here to play games! I'm here to end ties! I'm through with you guys!"

The Sales Guy just stared at him for a moment, before bursting into a fit of laughter. "That's a good one Triple D! You almost had me there for a second!" He cleared his throat and adjusted his glasses, before continuing. "But seriously, what will it be? I think you'll be most impressed by our newest Demon Beast lineup! We have lots to choose from! Here.. I'll pull one up now."

Dedede's eyes grew wide. "What!? No! I-I'm serious! I've had it with you guys! I'm not ordering another Demon Beast ever again! I'm done!"

At this the Salesman stopped what he was doing, and looked at King Dedede with a slightly confused expression.

"What's with the sudden change in attitude Your Majesty!?" he asked in a slightly harassing tone. "I thought you loved our monsters, hm?"

"Well I did before they went off and killed someone!" King Dedede snapped. "Because of that monster of yours, that little girl Fumu is now dead, and now I'm to blame for it! Everyone is either angry at me, or afraid of me… and I can't say I blame them…" he added sadly. However, he quickly shook it off. "If I hadn't ordered that demon beast from you none of this would have happened in the first place! That's why I'm ending ties! I can't live this way anymore! All the stress and guilt I have over this is eating me alive! So rip up my dumb contract! Burn it! Shred it! I don't even care anymore… I'm just done!"

"Now Your Majesty, calm down… I'm truly sorry for what happened, but really... are you sure? You've ordered monsters from us so many times before, and nothing has ever gone wrong. Surely you wouldn't want to make any rash desicions..."

"Listen here!" Dedede barked, effectively cutting the man off once again. "This is the only way I'll ever be forgiven for what happened… Don't try to butter me up, and get me to change my mind! This is what I want! I never meant for anyone to get killed, so I'm ending this before it can get worse. If anyone else got hurt because of some stupid monster that I ordered, I'd never be able to forgive myself… Just the fact that Fumu is gone is already hard enough to deal with…"

"Now Tripple D, I'm sure-"

"No! Forget it! I'm done!" King Dedede screamed, nearly in tears again.

And before the Salesman could respond, Dedede pushed the button to end the call, and ran off to his room to be left alone.

* * *

The Sales Guy stared at the blank monitor, staying quiet for a minute as he mulled over the sudden information.

"I'll call him back…" he said, as he started to dial the number to King Dedede's throne room.

"Save it!" a deep voice boomed behind him, causing the Salesman to flinch. "I'll deal with him later… He is currently of no use to us. My priorities are elsewhere…"

The Salesman just stayed quiet, not daring to argue with the Lord of Nightmares behind him. He watched as Nightmare suddenly gave a wave of his boney hand, and a large viewing portal appeared in the middle of the room. Blurry images flashed all across it like a vision, until it eventually slowed and found it's target. The image cleared, and settled right on the familiar face of a young, and sleeping pink puffball… Though sleeping, one could easily see the stress and exhaustion written all over his face.

"Hey… didn't Dedede say that it was Fumu who was killed by our monster?" The Salesman asked, as he slowly walked toward the image, hands behind his back. "Kirby and her were close… right?"

Nightmare gave a sick chuckle. "Indeed… The young Star Warrior was very attached to her..." He stared at the image a moment longer before a wide, and toothy smile spread across his face. "And that is why now is the perfect time to strike! Kirby is weak, and vulnerable… Attacking him now will leave him little opportunity to recover!"

"Ah! Do you want me to send a Demon Beast his way Sir?"

"No!" Nightmare barked. "Not yet… I need to degrade his mental state first for this to be most effective… Something like this takes time, and precision… It's only when they've cracked that you make the final move." He then turned to the Salesman. "Leave me to my work!"

The Sales Guy gave a bow, and without a word exited the room, leaving his dark master to his evil schemes…

Nightmare turned back toward the image before him. His evil smile retuned as he stared at the image of Kirby before him.

"Tell me boy… What scares you most?"

* * *

 **Well... this story is awful! AWFUL SAD! Hopefully the heaviness is not too much for you guys lol. But... I think I'm just being really paranoid... As long as it stays within the T rating we're good lol!**

 **Anyway... hey! Look at that! A chapter! But seriously guys, I'm sorry it took so long to write this! And it's short! I'm a jerk. At first this chapter was supposed to be double or more of its current length, but I decided just a couple days ago to cut it off at this lovely cliffhanger (MWAHAHAHAHA), and move the rest of what I had planned for chapter 2 into chapter 3. So I actually did have a ton more orginally written for this chapter, but I kept stalling to write it because I was really struggling to convey certain scenes into words. You can blame that for my lack of updates. However, I made the goal with myself earlier this week to get this chapter out just before we leave for vacation. And amazingly... I have reached that goal. Granted it came out differently than planned, but that's okay. So have a chapter! And let me know what you guys think :)**


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